Holder for postage stamps



Patented Oct. 7, 1924.

tries.

HOLDER FOR POSTAGE STAlVIPS.

Application mea April 19, 1922.

To all Iw kom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD L. HARKINs, a citizen or the United States, residing at Shirley, in the county of Middlesex and State of lvlassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Holders tor Postage Stamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to holders for stamps, tickets and the like, and ithas for its object to provide an improved device of this character.

At many of the suburban post oces there. is infrequent demand or call for postage l? stamps of the larger denominations, such as those above ten cents in value, but nevertheless it is necessary to have such stamps on hand to meet the possible, though few calls therefor. lt has been customary for postmasters to keep stamp-s of the higher denominations stored away in receptacles or containers such as envelopes, drawers or boxes, usually with several different kinds of stamps promiscuously mixed, which is objectionable because one could not tell at a glance what number of each kind might be on hand, and for many other reasons.

My invention aims to obviate these objections and provides a simple, inexpensive, convenient and eliicient holder for stamps and the like by which the latter are held in orderly and conveniently accessible fashion and also protected from injury and from being soiled or lost.

To these ends my invention, in its pre- Jerred form, consists of a holder for stamps and the like having the peculiar features of construction, combination and arrangement ot parts set forth in the following description, the several novel features of the invention being separately and particularly pointed out and defined in the claim at the close thereof.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a plan viewv of a holder for stamps and the like constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the same in its open position.

Figure 2 is an enlarged section on line Q-Q of Figure l.

Figure 3 shows, on larger scale, a portion of one of the leaves of the holder shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the envelope hereinafter described.

Serial No. 555,559.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5--5 ofFigure 4. Y Y l l I Herein I have embodied the several features of my invention in a holder having the form of a book and comprising two leaves A and By connected .together by a flexible hinge C, so that the leaves can be opened and closed bookashion. Each leaf comprises a. panel D of cardboard, or other still sheet material, to the outer side of which may be secured a inish covering E of leather, cloth or other suitable material.'y

The hinge C as shown, is constituted by the middle portions of two iexib-le strips of leather, cloth or the like, said middle portio-ns being cemented orotherwise fastened together. The marginal portions of strips F receive `between them the inner marginal portions of the two panels D as shown,to which latter theyV are cemented or otherwise secured.

Upon the inner side of each panel D is a holder body G of sheet material such as Celluloid or the like, having a smooth surface, said body having each corner thereof secured to panel D by a fastener H.

IUpon the body G a plurality of parallel strips J of sheet material are arranged which may be the same as the material used for the body, said strips J each being secured to said body throughout its length by a longitudinal median line of stitches or astenings g. The free side marginal portions of each strip J constitute liaps thatV are more or less resilient and which tend to lie latwise against the body G. These flaps, together with the line of stitches g, provide channels to receive strips of stamps or the like S, said flaps being disposed in pairs with the flaps of each pair extending toward each other and separated so as to overlie only the opposite side marginal portions of the strips of stamps.

At the Vlower or outlet end of the stamp channels provide a straight-edge Ystrip L of stili" sheet material, which may be the same material as that from which the strips J are made, this straight-edge strip overlying and extending transversely acrom the outlet end portions of all of the strips J to which it may be fastened by stitching.

The mode of operation is as follows: A. strip of stamps is placed in position in the holder, each strip within a channel, by sliding the strip endwise into the selected channel at the upper entrance end of the same. Thus, when a strip of stamps is in position Within its channel the pair of flaps overlying its opposite side marginal portion-s serve to hold the strip in position against the panel'but With provision or capacity for endWise movement when the strip of stamps is pushed by ones finger, placed upon or against that portion of the stamp strip that is between the two flaps.

wWhen it is ,desired to talre a stamp from the holder the strip of the desired denornr nation is slid downward in its channel; by finger pressure as described, until the lowerrnost end stamp is projected. beyond the straight-edge strip L as shown in Figure 3. Strips of postage stamps are always perforated, so that by grasping this projected stamp and tearing` it against the straight edge L it is quickly and accurately separated from its strip,

Between one body (it and its panel D is provided a removable envelope K made trom thin sheet material, preferably thin transparent sheet Celluloid, one side Wall oi said envelope being formed at its upper edge with a hook flange L to t over the upper edge of vthe holder body G' as shown in Figure i, whereby it is held from beingv pushed Wholly Within the space between body G and panel D and is supported conveniently accessible for removal. rlhis envelope is provided to receive either stamps or memoranda, and being transparent its contents may be seen Without removal of the latter.

YWhat l claim is:

A holder of the character described coniprising a body of sheet material; a plurality of parallel strips of sheet material disposed upon and against one side of said body and stitched; to the letter so .that the free side marginal portions of ,said strips constitute flaps providing channels between and under each pair thereof to receive a strip ora stamps or the like, the Haps'ot each.y pair extending `toward each other and being separated so as to overlie only the opposite side marginal portions Of the strip of stamps or the like to hold the same .in position against said body with provision or capacity for endivise movement of said strip, and a straight-edge strip of sheet material extending transversely across and seated. directly upon the outer sides of the outlet end portions of all of said i'irst mentioned tiaps and secured to said end portions.

Signed at Shirley, Massachusetts, this 4th day of April, 1922.

EDARD L. HARKINS. 

